Dav Man'Sell
Dav Man'Sell was a Jedi Master, Pilot, and Lightsaber Champion who lived through both the Clone Wars and the Jedi Purge, surviving even as the Emperor and his apprentice, Darth Vader scoured space for the remaining Jedi still scattered throughout the galaxy. His legacy is grand to behold, and his life story has become the subject of interest to many young Jedi in training, particularly those of the Yavin IV Jedi Praxeum. Biography Early Life Born on Commenor to a Human Father and a Half-Human Mother, Dav was taken to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant aged four to study as a Jedi. During his time as a youngling, Dav was a part of the Katarn Clan. He was known for being bright, talented, and intelligent, learning his Force abilities and skills quickly not through talent, but through determination and careful study. At age eleven, he was taken as a Padawan learner to Jedi Knight Jo'osh Tors, having already excelled in many of his studies - especially lightsaber combat. He spent many more hours training under Cin Drallig in his Padawan years, and his enthusiasm and proficiency quickly caught the eye of many within the Order. His promise as a saber-artist and as a Jedi was exciting for many, but was quickly over shadowed by the achievements of young up-and-coming Anakin Skywalker. This caused slight resentment, and a clash of personalities, between Dav and Obi-wan Kenobi’s remarkable Padawan, but eventually, as the two matured, they came to respect each others abilities, and set aside their rivalry. At the age of seventeen, Dav Man’Sell became a fully fledged Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order. Wrongfully Accused Not long after his Knighting ceremony, Dav was involved in a dreadful diplomatic mix-up, and arrested by the security forces of the isolated world of El’Dirit for crimes he did not commit. Taken prison alongside Jenna SiStone, a bodyguard for one of the Republic’s diplomats, he was imprisoned on a penal asteroid. Eighteen months passed, over which time he served as a moral touchstone and guiding influence for the inmates, whilst helping protect them from meteor showers, fighting between two imprisoned organised crime factions, and abduction by scientists of an unknown species looking to experiment on Human genetics. Eventually, their names cleared, Dav and Jenna were released and given full pardons. Shortly after his release, Dav spent some time training under Mace Windu, learning the complexities of the older Jedi's self-developed lightsaber form, Vaapad. Jedi Knight Dav excelled in it, but never truly Mastered the complicated lightsaber form at that time. The Clone Wars At the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Dav was called to action, and fought at Geonosis as part of Master Windu's strike team. Having survived the battle, Dav was made into a General of the Republic, commanding a squad of Clone Troopers in several mid- and outer-rim campaigns, and earning a reputation as one of the most daring Jedi in the Republic Army. In the closing weeks of the War, Dav faced a Dark Jedi on Haruun Kal, one of the worlds he was defending from the Separatists forces still fighting under the terrible General Grievous. The two engaged in a vicious lightsaber duel, stalemated for several hours, before the Dark Jedi took his blade to a group of innocent civilians. Dav flew into a fit of rage, hammering at his opponent's defenses with powerful Djem-So and Vaapad techniques. As he struck the Dark Jedi down, he touched the Dark Side himself - for that moment, he was no longer veiled to the future by the Dark Side as the rest of the Jedi were, and he foresaw flashes of the Purge, the Empire, and the evil of Darth Vader. Boarding his Delta-7 Starfighter, Dav ran. From the Purge, from his own fear of the Dark Side powers he had touched, from the entire Galaxy. He went into hiding on the far Outer-Rim, thus surviving the Jedi Purge. Fallen Hero For several years, he moved around worlds of the Outer Rim, living under a number of different personas and hiding his former Jedi status from the Empire. But he could not hide forever - eventually, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine himself, found him. In his duel against Vader, Dav once again touched the Dark Side of the Force, temporarily gaining the upper hand over the Sith Lord. The Emperor then struck Dav down with Force Lightening, and captured him. Several months of torture and mind manipulation followed, until Dav Man'Sell, some of his memories repressed by the Emperor, became one of Palaptine's elite agents - an Emperor's Hand. Dav served the Empire in this way, infiltrating and assassinating, even hunting down some of the other Jedi to have survived the Purge, including Jo’osh Tors, his former Jedi Master, who he killed in a vicious duel on Naboo. The new, dark Dav trained under both Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, his lightsaber skills improving further by Vader’s training, and expanded by the Emperor’s knowledge in the ancient art of Juyo. He learned additional skills in stealth operation, infiltration, and unarmed combat, hunting and killing with greater and greater success, until one day four years after the Battle of Yavin. One key day in the history of the Galaxy. Free Mind The first death of Palpatine, over the forest moon of Endor, saw the return of Dav's previous consciousness, hidden and repressed by the Emperor’s indomitable will power, but impossible to fully destroy. Dav's mind suddenly became his own once more, and his memories returned to him, traumatically putting into perspective the heinous acts he had committed in the Emperor’s name. Shock, despair, and hatred hit him so hard that his connection to the Force went numb. He ran once again, this time out of fear, and loathing, of himself. Returning to the planet on which he had been captured, Dav reclaimed his Delta-7, and once again shot off into hiding amongst the obscure and ambiguous worlds of the Rim. Gradually, as the months and years passed, his connection to the Force began to return, step by step. It was during this time that Dav was approached, on Nar Shadaa, by a man that he had spared years earlier, when this man was just a child. The man identified himself as Jessop Tors, the son of Jo’osh, and told that he knew Dav had known his father before he died. Dav, believing that he at least owed this to his former master, took it upon himself to care for Jessop, and train him. However, Dav’s cautious approach to training the young man, combined with the confession that he had killed Jo’osh, caused Jessop to seek training elsewhere. He learned from one of Palpatine’s Holocrons, found, curiously, for sale in an antiques shop, and turned his new-found Dark Side Force Powers to theft and cheating, and ultimately, murder. Dav, recognising his failure, went to apprehend Jessop once he had returned from tasks closer to the Core Worlds, where the Empire still reigned. A duel erupted between the exiled Jedi Knight and his student, and Dav was forced to collapse a cave on top of Jessop. Believing him dead, Dav left that world, going into deeper exclusion, his self-doubts reinforced by his failure to guide Jessop and prevent his fall to the Dark Side. Times truly had grown Dark for Dav Man'Sell, his life becoming a compilation of failures; the Jedi Purge, service to the Empire, and the fall of his own student. Reluctant steps He met Luke Skywalker for the first time during Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Campaign, working with the legendary Jedi, and again assisted him in locating Jedi students for his Praxeum when it was officially established, scouting out the talented and Force Sensitve Anx, Madurrin, and bringing her to Yavin IV for her training there. At last, finding his powers stronger, and his emotional hurt healing, Dav volunteered to help the fledgling new Jedi Order, fighting alongside the Jedi during the closing stages of the Diciples of Ragnos Crisis. This was his first time fighting openly alongside the other Jedi since the Clone Wars. However, these occasions where he involved himself in Galactic affairs were rare – For the most part, Dav spent over thirty more years in self-imposed exile, only getting involved when situations were desperate. His fear of his own darkness kept him blinded to his potential for good. Dav was present at Sernpidal the day it was destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong tactic, Yo’Gand’s Core. As a result of witnessing that horrific event, and despite his continuing exile, Dav participated heavily in the Yuuzhan Vong War, undertaking the task of watching over several locations in the Galaxy for Master Skywalker in order to protect them from Yuuzhan Vong agents. Chief amongst these was the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan, which Luke feared could be used by the Vong to make their voxyn, and other Jedi hunting weapons, even more powerful, as well as watching out for several strongly Force Sensitive communities. He clashed several times with the Peace Brigade and Vong Jedi hunters, rescuing his comrades from their captivity. Return of the Jedi Eventually, after long years of fighting in the background and thinking on the future, he came to the decision that his time to return to the Galaxy-at-large had come, that his exile alone would merely drive him further and further from the light, and that the threat to the Jedi was great enough that they needed all the numbers the could get, and so, he headed back to the larger civilizations. Still fearful of his own inner darkness, and still unable to use a number of his Force Powers without resorting to the Dark Side, powers he had been able to use with the Light Side just fine prior to the Emperor’s corruption of him, he sought the guidance of the New Jedi Order, hoping they could guide him back to the Light. After much searching, he came back across the Academy on Yavin IV, which he made his new home. After consideration and reflection on his failings over the decades since the Clone Wars, Dav decided that the best step was to start afresh. He enrolled with the Praxeum as a student and became Ksandra Mallan’s padawan. An apprentice again, Dav sought to learn anew the various abilities that he had lost as a result of his fall to the Dark Side, and rediscover his confidence and faith in himself. Dav, suddenly invigorated by the surprising acceptance and warmth of the Praxeum’s members, became an active member of the Academy quickly, being selected for a position in the Academy’s elite Starfighter squadron, Dragon Squadron, and making several friends. He finally realised that all he had needed was the company of other Jedi, their compassion guiding him to his own forgiveness. He bonded with his Master, the two becoming impeccably close, and several others, including Andru Kierra, Tonaris Phedi, Ander Tagira, Tebana Sor, Jago Pulastra, Zuli Madoon, and Ronan Starflare. Darkness looms However, Dav's peaceful life at the Academy was quickly disturbed by an attack by one of the most powerful Sith known to the Galaxy – former Jedi Master Jacen Solo, now known as Darth Caedus. Jacen was after Jedi Knight Andru Kierra, intending to take him and turn him to the Dark Side as his new apprentice. Dav fought to defend Andi from Jacen, engaging in a long and vicious Lightsaber duel with him. It was during this duel that Jacen attacked Dav with Dark Powers, plunging into his memories and learning of Dav's past. Jacen used this against Dav, employing the Sith tactic of Dun Möch against Dav, and weakening the Jedi's resolve. With a triumphant laugh, Jacen retreated from the battle, escaping them. The Corruption and Tebana Sor Some time after the battle with Jacen, and through the developing friendship with Tebana Sor, Dav faced an extra-galactic, shared consciousness entity known only as The Corruption for what would be the first of many times. The Corruption was an old enemy of Tebana’s, one that had caused countless suffering and death, one that threatened all life in the Galaxy itself. Tebana left for Haruun Kal to destroy the Corruption Seed there and recover the body of the now deceased Andru Kierra, but Dav foresaw that she would not be able to do so and survive alone. Dav flew after her in his XJ-9 X-Wing, rescuing her at the last minute from the destruction she had wrought to the Seed’s crater. Tebana chided Dav for putting himself in danger by following her there, and he stood by his actions, citing her respected status and symbolism to the Jedi, and how important she was, compared to his own, relatively minor status within the Galaxy. Her response was one of the first signs at the developing feelings between the two Jedi. Dav soon face the Corruption again, this time at Andru Kierra’s memorial service. First he had to talk with the Corruption created Echo of Andi, which the deceased Jedi’s spirit had possessed, and then, he and Tebana discovered an infant Corruption Seed hidden in the Praxeum’s hanger. Using his knowledge of the Corruption – gained from conversations with Tebana – Dav improvised a weapon to stun the Seed, before packing it inside a remote controlled fighter craft and sending it through Hyperspace and into the Maw Cluster. Dav paid witness as Tebana managed to draw one of the Corruption's entities away from it's collective mind, guiding it in becoming rogue and self-aware, and became deeply aware of just how severely the strains and traumas that her recurring encounters with the Corruption brought were affecting her. His concern for her grew, and he made a pledge to protect her whenever he could. Identity Crisis Whilst Dav continued his training, growing in strength and wisdom as a Jedi, a powerful, dark Force-user stalked the academy, completely undetected, attacking several of it’s most prominent Jedi - Jedi that had all been alive during, and survived through, the times of the Great Jedi Purge. As the mystery surrounding this deepened, Dav recognised both the tactics and the targets, and realised that the assassin was trained just as he had been, and was probably a survivor of Palpatine and Vader's deadly inquisitorius. Eventually, Dav had the other Jedi set a trap for the mysterious assassin. The trap was sprung, and the truth revealed – that Dav, and the dark Force-user, were one. The repressed personality of Dav as the Emperor's Hand had been drawn to the surface by Jacen Solo time and time again to control Dav's body whilst he slept, the 'Hand' having been originally reawoken during that fateful battle against the Sith Lord so many months before. Final Conflict Dav was stripped of the Force in the trap, and imprisoned so that his Emperor’s Hand personality could not surface again and hurt anyone else. Unfortunately, Jacen had other ideas. He forcibly reattached the Force to Dav, re-awoke the Hand one last time, and sent him out to kill his ultimate target – Ksandra Mallan. A vicious duel ensued, in which both were pushed to their absolute limits. However, as the Dark Dav moved to kill Ksandra, the good Dav – the real Dav – stopped him. They wrestled for control of the body, and Dav, finally realising that the Dark Dav was a part of him, won through, defeating once and for all his Dark Side, and finally accepting his place amongst the Jedi. Jedi Guardian, Champion, and Protector of Yavin IV Shortly after this, Dav was repromoted to Jedi Knight by Luke Skywalker in an unofficial ceremony. It would be Skywalker's last visit to the Jedi on Yavin IV for some time, as the Jedi Grandmaster was headed back to Coruscant to help rebuild the Jedi Order in the wake of Jacen Solo's death at the hands of his Sister, and the end of the Second Galactic Civil War. Dav finally felt a part of the Jedi Order once more, taking to the role with pride and determination, and serving as a Protector of the Yavin IV Praxeum and Jedi. Dav, having proven himself as a Jedi and as a Pilot, was promoted to Executive Officer of Dragon Squadron, becoming one of it's three main leaders, and helped reorganise the Squadron into a new, even more elite, crack unit of twelve. He also commissioned the design and construction of a brand new variation of the already formidable XJ9 StealthXs the Squadron flew - the T65XJ-9D Special Specification StealthX X-Wing, a state of the art fighter completely unique to the Jedi of Dragon Squadron. The fighters were well received, Dragon Squadron's pilots proving their worth in the heat of battle several times over. Dav Man'Sell was once again drawn away from Yavin IV and into the Galactic fold, thrust into the conflict between Osarian and the invading forces of Rhommamool (later known as the Crimson Skies conflict), fighting alongside Tebana Sor closely during the battle. The Jedi, and the forces of Osarian, would emerge victorious, and the heat of the battle, the danger presented to them both, drew powerful reactions from the two Jedi with regards to each other's safety. They expressed a deep fondness and concern for each other, becoming closer still. A few months later, in preparation for the inevitable day where he would face The Corruption again, Dav went to Zonama Sekot and harvested three Lambent Crystals, bonding with them. He brought the Crystals to Yavin IV, where a rogue element of the Corruption corrupted them for him with one of its dying moments, and he then installed the Corrupted crystals firstly into the two Lightsabers that had been built by his Dark alter-ego, and then later, the third crystal was installed into a pendant. Dav was present, a short while afterwards, at the wedding day of Ksandra Mallan and Ander Tagira, the two Jedi having fallen in love over the course of their experiences together. Dav was honoured to be one of the Groom's men at Ander's wedding, and so came proudly to it on the day. Luke Skywalker himself came to officiate proceedings, and Luke, Dav, Ksandra, and the other Jedi shared a wealth of of stories with each other concerning the misadventures of the Groom. However, when Ander failed to appear at the Wedding, Dav and Jedi Master Bahiri Nav, who had been named Best Man, quietly left the ceremony to seek out the absentee Groom. The two Jedi quickly discovered that Ander had headed to Commenor to investigate a (what later turned out to be false) lead regarding his long missing mother, followed closely by a Bounty Hunter seeking to claim the enormous reward on the Jedi Master's head. Dav, and several others, received a vision of Ander being captured by the Hunter. A strike force of Jedi was brought together, all of them leaving for Commenor in Dav's heavilly modified, high-speed personal freighter, the Bright Horizon. On Commenor, following severe difficulties and a brush with death for Dav, they finally located Ander, and in doing so, discovered the identity of Ander's abductor - none other than Jessop Tors, Dav's former Student. The Hunter had survived for all those years, training in Mandalorian battle techniques and joining the clans of the Warrior Race. Dav and Jessop battled, Dav finally gaining the upper hand, collapsing the wall of a building on Jessop, but refused to finish off the misguided man. Despite Jessop's cries of rage, Dav left, leaving his former apprentice. He felt saddened, and deeply introspective, over his past failures, and his future plans, as a result. Confession of true love Upon their return to the Praxeum, Tebana collapsed, passing into a deep coma due to extreme exhaustion, having nearly burnt out her entire body by pouring the Force into healing a dying Dav. A week passed, her spirit remaining absent from her body, as visitors and well wishers came to bid what could be their final farewell to the now prone and almost lifeless Master Tebana Sor. Dav was shaken to the core by her collapse, and visited her constantly over the course of the week, barely leaving the view-port looking into her private ward once. Finally, Dav entered the room, and spoke with her, expressing the feelings for her that had lain hidden inside him for a long time. He professed his love for her, and with a kiss, went to leave. As he did so, she woke, and replied with the truth of her feelings - that she loved him too. The two embarked upon a relationship, that grew quickly into a deep and unfaltering bond. Facing The Corruption Ksandra Mallan, following her final and absolute split from Ander Tagira, left to spend time meditating with Aalia Ra on the ice planet Helska IV. Dav took time out to visit her there, and, whilst there, he discovered that the Corruption had a presence there, sensing it through the Lambent Crystals. He faced the Corruption – an Echo of a mysterious being known only as ‘Rundas’. After a vicious battle, Dav emerged victorious, proving his skill, resourcefulness, and strength of character, and defeating one of the last surviving manifestations of The Corruption in the Galaxy. Trials of a Jedi Master The years passed, and Dav, Tebana, and the other Jedi faced many challenges. Dav and Tebana's relationship, and indeed, their devotion to the light itself, was tested by the death of their unborn child at the hands of her fallen Brother, but their love survived this. The two Jedi grew stronger in their relationship, finding comfort and light in each other's arms, and eventually choosing to live together permanently. Dav grew in wisdom and experience, training constantly, guiding and supporting other Jedi, and proving himself to be a wise and capable Jedi Knight. The Council eventually granted him the rank of Jedi Master in recognition of his achievements, and offered him a permanent seat on the Council. Dav accepted, at last taking up the path that had always laid before him, as a leader and champion of the Jedi. He became one of the most prominent members of the Academy’s Order, taking on the mantle of Jedi Battlemaster, leading them into the coming darkness and fighting for the sake of good. Dav's strength grew thanks to his now ingrained balance and peace with himself and his past. He now faces the darkness of the future with a new confidence and determination, standing up for others as they, when he needed it most, stood up for him. Personality and traits Dav was a determined and strong willed individual, finding the strength to carry on even when the obstacles ahead of him seemed insurmountable. He often demonstrated a stubborn streak, a refusal to back down, something which occasionally got him into trouble, but his skills and powers usually proved sufficient to rise to the challenge. However, he was not so stubborn that he wouldn't admit to his mistakes, and was often seen to be very introspective and reflective on the events that had come to pass. Early in life, he was known to be very proud, slightly more emotional and hasty than a Jedi was supposed to be, but devout and committed to the Jedi way. His tutelage under Jo'osh Tors taught him patience, and over time, he learned to control his strong passions. Passionate and loyal, Dav would always go out of his way to care for his friends. Dav was famous for his indomitable spirit and stubborn refusal to give in or give up, as well as for his compassion and tenderness. Powers and Abilities Combat Skills Dav Man'Sell was, first and foremost, a fighter and a warrior. Known for his remarkable - even legendary - skill with a Lightsaber, Dav was one of the most fearless and capable Jedi combatants of the New Sith War era. Dav spent many years studying Lightsaber combat intensely, both before, during, and after his time as Emperor's Hand. During his decades of exile following the Battle of Endor, Lightsaber training was one of the very few pastimes he allowed himself, focusing intently on refining his skills and improving his abilities. As a result of the massive spiritual and psychological trauma he suffered as a response to the Emperor's death, trauma which left his connection to the Force temporarilly numb, Dav was forced to hone his body and mind to be able to wield the Lightsaber with a high degree of skill without the use of the mystical field to guide him. For a few years after this, the only time Dav was able to truly connect to the Force with any great ability was when he was using his Lightsabers as a point of focus. As a result, Dav's attunement to his Lightsabers, and his ability to use them and fight with them, surpassed almost all his other abilities combined, and far exceeded the abilities of most of his contemporaries in the Jedi Order at that time. His preferred combat form was a utilisation of Jar'Kai that was combined with Soresu, Djem So, or Vaapad, depending on the opponent, but Dav was just as capable of fighting with a single Lightsaber, and with the other forms of Lightsaber combat. Dav has knowledge of the following forms of Lightsaber Combat: *Lightsaber Forms **Form I: Shii-cho – Mastered **Form II: Makashi - Mastered **Form III: Soresu - Mastered and Perfected **Form IV: Ataru - Mastered **Form V: Shien / Djem So - Mastered and Perfected **Form VI: Niman - Mastered and Perfected **Form VII: Juyo / Vaapad - Mastered and Perfected ** Form VIII: Beakjul / Bulgul - Familiar *Jar’Kai (Dual-Wielding Lightsaber Combat) - Mastered and Perfected *Double-bladed Lightsaber Combat - Mastered *Mounted Lightsaber Combat - Mastered *Trispzest (Arial Lightsaber Combat) - Proficient * Telekinetic Lightsaber Combat - Expert, in training *Lightwhip Combat – Familiar Dav was a crack shot with blasters and most other conventional firearms, was highly proficient with common melee weapons (such as Swords, Combat Knives, and staff based weapons), as well as being a master of several forms of Unarmed Combat, including the Echani Arts and an advance knowledge of pressure point fighting. He gained detailed knowledge in many of these skills as a part of his training as an Emperor's Hand, training which also gave him detailed knowledge of stealth and infiltration techniques, knowledge that he demonstrated the ability to put into practice several times. Dav was also an expert Starfighter Pilot, having proven his talents as being exceptional during the Clone Wars, and continually expanding them, gaining experience and greater knowledge, in the decades that followed. Force Talents Dav always demonstrated a moderately strong talent in the Force, but his connection to, and control of, his Force Powers was inconsistent. Powerful demonstrations of the Force were not something that seemed to come naturally to him, as it did with Anakin Skywalker, but Dav learnt, as a result of this, to be efficient and intelligent in his use. He was renowned for creative applications of the Force, often achieving just as much with a subtle twitch as many Jedi would through massive and exhausting utilisations of their power. Weapons and Equipment Main Weapons *2 Master-crafted Lightsabers - One (1) green, one (1) blue; styled after Obi-Wan Kenobi/Luke Skywalker); The crystals inside have been perfectly attuned to both Dav and the lightsabers themselves. The crystals help Dav focus his Force Powers even further, allowing him to use the lightsabers as a more direct conduit for his abilities, and making the blades an almost natural extension of his body and mind. The sabers are both waterproof and EM shielded. *1 DL-44 Heavy Blaster - Dav is a crack shot, having been trained to be proficient with all weapons during his time as an Emperor's Hand. Secondary Weapons *2 Lightsabers - (Water shielded, EM shielded): Both Purple blades, originally built by Dav’s Dark Side alter ego, the Sith Synth-Crystals have been replaced by self-harvested, Corrupted, Yuuzhan Vong lambent focusing crystals. Other Equipment *1 Wrist-Comp - A unique, multi-use personal computing and communication device with advanced inbuilt sensor systems. The only known copy of the Blueprints for this device currently reside in a redundant memory system in Dav Man'Sell's R2 droid, Dirty. *1 Sonic Multi-tool - An entire toolkit in one, handy pocket-sized tool! Using different degrees of sonic wave emission, from microscopic, even atomic level subtle vibrations to larger, more direct and intense waves, the Sonic Multi-tool is the most diverse, and not to mention durable, multi-tool in the Galaxy! Settings include (but are not limited too): Hydrospanner function, Demagnetizer function, Plastifibe Agitator Function, Tuning Stylus Function, Finepoint Vibrocutter Function, Lock Breaker Function, and Anti-Adhesive Vibration Function. References Category:Characters Category:Jedi Weapon Master Category:Pilot